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Poisonous plants
Poisonous plants are s that produce toxins that deter s from consuming them. Plants cannot move to escape their predators, so they must have other means of protecting themselves from herbivorous animals. Some plants have physical defenses such as , but by far the most common type of protection is chemical. Over millennia, through the process of , plants have the means to produce a vast and complicated array of chemical compounds in order to deter herbivores. , for example, is a defensive compound that emerged relatively early in the evolutionary history of plants, while more complex molecules such as are found in younger groups of plants such as the . Many of the known primarily defend against consumption by s, though other animals, including humans, that consume such plants may also experience negative effects, ranging from mild discomfort to death. Many of these poisonous compounds also have important medicinal benefits. The varieties of defenses in plants are so numerous that many questions about them remain unanswered, including: # Which plants have which types of defense? # Which herbivores, specifically, are the plants defended against? # What chemical structures and mechanisms of toxicity are involved in the compounds that provide defense? # What are the potential medical uses of these compounds? These questions and others constitute an active area of research in modern , with important implications for understanding plant evolution and for medical science. Below is an extensive, if incomplete, list of plants containing one or more poisonous parts that pose a serious risk of , injury, or to humans or domestic animals. There is significant overlap between plants considered poisonous and those with , some of which are toxic enough to present serious health risks at recreational doses. It is also important to remember that there is a distinction between plants that are poisonous because they naturally produce dangerous phytochemicals, and those that may become dangerous for other reasons, including but not limited to infection by bacterial, viral, or fungal parasites, the uptake of through contaminated soil or groundwater, and/or the ordinary processes of decay after the plant has died; this list deals exclusively with the former. Many plants, such as s, also produce compounds that are only dangerous to people who have developed an to them, and with a few exceptions, those plants are not included here (see instead). Despite the wide variety of plants considered poisonous, human fatalities caused by poisonous plants – especially resulting from accidental ingestion – are rare in the developed world. Poisonous food plants Many plants commonly used as possess toxic parts, are toxic unless processed, or are toxic at certain stages of their lives. Some only pose a serious threat to certain animals (such as cats, dogs, or livestock) or certain types of people (such as infants, the elderly, or individuals with pathological vulnerabilities). Most of these food plants are safe for the average adult to eat in modest quantities. Notable examples include: Other poisonous plants Countless other plants not commonly used in food or drink are also poisonous, and care should be taken to avoid accidentally contacting or ingesting them. Some of these are popular ornamental plants or are cultivated for purposes other than consumption. References Category:Food safety